Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-10-17
miscellaneous.
FROM THE RlGi KUHN.
A Marvellous Mountain vision-Historic
Ground-The Lion of Luzerne.


The Rigi is the chief ornament of Luz
zerne, or rather the chief attraction. 1t
was not all | expected. looked for some
snow capped peak towering above the
lower range of mountains, and was in
clined to be disappointed when it re-
solved itself into a bulky mass of sere
rock and green mountain side, with a
water line Of twenty-five miles in circum-
ference and at least half dozen peaks or
crests, one of which-the furthest to
the casts the eliminating point, and
takes the name of Kuhn. The next day
when | mounted to this summit it was
plain why the Rigi Kuhn is the most cele-
brated mountain, probably, in the world,
and why it commands, and will continue
to command, the homage now paid it. 1t
is not for itself, but what it reveals. 1t
was clear, warm day, and the ride up
the inclined railway that now fastens
itself to the sides of the Rigi was a con-
slant delight. When finally the Kuhn
was reached and in that marvellous blue
my eyes looked on the panorama of 1875
miles Of Bernese Alps unrolled before
them, scores and hundreds Of white
crested peaks, including the Overland
Titans, there was nothing to be done, as
there if nothing else to be done now, than
to stand in silent awe. Words would be
useless, if not profane. 1t was one Of the
rare days vouchsafed travellers.
Not always is the Rigi so kind. Often
its summit is wrapped in clouds, and
nothing is to be seen. At other times, as
on the following day, the clouds seem
like great sea, out of which rise the
snowy submits, like the peaks Of drift
ing icebergs, and it appears almost pos
sible to set sail over the tremulous bosom
of vapor to reach the crags as they pierce
through. On such day the sight must
be grand one, as it was described after
ward by friend, who thus saw it, but
when the sun is without abatement, and
the sky without a rift, to be for hours
upon the Kuhn, and look now upon the
irregular line of Alpine peaks that define
themselves in peerless white against the
lambert blue, and then to rest the eyes
upon the varied landscape that spreads
itself all about you, down, down, thou
sands Of feet, as if it were series of toy
pictures such as you could arrange at
will out Of boxes of blocks you might
buy at Charley Meyers, was an expert
ence never to be forgotten, and which
can only be repeated at the same place
and under the same circumstances.
Seven lakes miniature lakes, they
looked, as | recall them-were within
view, nesting themselves in the little
narrow wales that are the conspicuous
and unique feature of Swiss landscape.
Over there is the lake ON the banks Of
which the battle of Margarten, the Their
mopyle Of Switzerland. was fought.
There 1900 of tho hardy mountaineers
successfully withstood the assaults of
more than 10000 Austrians. To the
right was Lake Tug, where the landslide
had occurred but a few days before, and
through strong glass the ruins of the
quay could be plainly seen. Off in the
far distance Lake Sembach could be dis
cerned, with its story of Wnlselreid's
heroism. Immediately at your feet
stretched the Lake of the Four Cantons,
with its Tell chapel and the half dozen
clustering villages and towns that line its
banks, and, larger and prouder than ALL
Luzerne itself, which looks forward with
hopeful anticipation, by means of the
completion of projected railway, to the
time when it will command the position
of the first city of Switzerland in the
plans of all tourists.
But not alone the Rigi. Luzerne has
another attraction. The place wherein
the lion of Luzerne is to be seen is about
the last a stranger would look for it.
There are no indications of its where
81. 60 I 81
directions that would aid in its discovery.
/ started out after dinner to find it, and
walked about as | understood the hotel
porter to direct. Finally, | asked a
small boy standing in a garden near the
street and by dint of much hard work
made him understand what | wanted.
He waved his hand in the direction, and
that gesture | followed until found the
spot. 1t seems to be in a grotto at the
back of dozen door yards, that radiate
from the monument, and shut it out
from the public. The impression is that
you are going through an alley into a
back yard, where, in the face of the
sandstone rock that rises about $50 feet,
the lion is cut. In front of it is mean,
dirty, little circular pool, possibly forty
OF MY lttI Ill ultIilticI, dIOub anu III
which duck and her small family
quacked and played at will. An
old fellow seeing visitor to the
lion. and possibly seeming a few CEN
times. turned on the water for few
minutes, and the Jet rose to the height of
fifty or sixty feet, with no other appreci-
able effect than to disturb both the pool
and the goslings. There are half dozen
benches in front of the fountain on which
YOU can sit and look at Thorwaldsen great
conception. while back of these benches
are numerous shops in which all manner
of trinkets and views are sold, and in
one of which is shown the model of the
lion made by the Danish SCULPTOR, and
from which the carving was done.
Despite the apparently mean and i'm
pertinent surroundings, the lion is yet
lion. No work of art have yet seen so
impresses me as the lion of Luzerne and
the lions of Landseer, at the foot of the
Nelson column in London. went back
again and again to sit in silent admira-
ton of the wounded and dying animal
that so heroically represents the spirit of
the Helvetian guards that do for king,
queen and duty. The more looked, the
more the wonder of the conception grew.
There is an expression of majesty. of
strength. of leonine courage. and yet
/ i